DILG tells LGUs: Always keep public roads safe

CEBU, Philippines — After the road clearing operations had been completed, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has urged local government units to keep all public roads safe.

DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said it is the LGUs’ responsibility to ensure public safety on the road.

 “Hindi po dapat nagtatapos ang ating trabaho sa road clearing operations. Sa panahong ang mga kalsada sa buong bansa ay naibalik na sa publiko, responsibilidad din po nating panatiliin itong ligtas,” said Malaya.

He said the LGUs should have a sustained program on the promotion of road discipline and education. Malaya noted that there were 38,725 vehicular accidents nationwide recorded by the Philippines National Police from November 1, 2020 to February 1, 2021.

“Disiplina sa kalsada ang ambag ng bawat isa para sa maayos na daloy ng trapiko. Ang maayos na transportasyon ay may malaking epekto sa ekonomiya ng bawat LGU at ng buong bansa,” he added.

According to Malaya, road clearing and safety operations should be a year-round activity by the LGUs. The DILG is now in the process of validating the compliance of LGUs to the road clearing directive. It starts today until March 2, 2021.

All DILG field offices are given until March 9 to submit the results of the validation process.

LGUs under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) or Post-Quarantine, including Cebu and the whole of Central Visayas, will be validated according to how the road clearing operations were implemented based on the seven components---removal of road obstructions, enactment of an enabling ordinance, the conduct of an inventory of road obstructions, crafting and implementation of a displacement plan, rehabilitation of cleared roads, creation of a grievance mechanism, and compliance with the ban on tricycles along national roads.

The LGUs’ compliance on the ban of tricycles along the national highways shall also be checked. LGUs are also expected to submit, as attachment to their reports, photographs, videos, presentations, reports, and other means of verifications (MOVs) that support their compliance.

DILG Officer-in-Charge (OIC) and Undersecretary Bernardo C. Florece, Jr. assures that their office will be fair in conducting the validation but will point out the deficiencies so that this can be acted upon soonest by the LGUs.

“One of the strategies that we will adopt is that once a road is cleared by the LGU, a contract is drawn up and signed by the Barangay Captain who then is now responsible for maintaining the cleared roads. There will also be an exit conference with the mayor so that he is advised of the results of the validation,” Florence said.

Florence reminded LGUs about the no-parking signs and visual cues that must be placed along cleared roads so that the residents do not go back to their old ways. — FPL (FREEMAN)